Methods of dredging a body of water often implement the use of large piece of excavation equipment supported on a barge and requiring the use of one or more onboard operators. These methods are often expensive and can only be accomplished at depths at which the excavator can reach. Other types of dredging systems implement the use of barges that also require the use of one or more onboard operators and periodic, expensive implementation. In addition, most systems are limited in that operations must be ceased when the platform is loaded with sediment, requiring the entire system to be moved to the nearest accessible land or distant aquatic dumping grounds for offloading. Accordingly, there remains a need to develop dredging systems that are relatively inexpensive and are capable of a continuous operating schedule that does not necessarily require the constant presence of onboard operators.